Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Udad dal vada/ Medu Vada/ Savory Fried Lentil Dumplings

Urad dal vada or medu vada are very popular in south Indian households. We make them for breakfast or as an evening snack. Most of the times, it is paired with Idly. Best served with hot spicy Sambar and coconut chutney.

Ingredients:

Urad dal/Split black gram - 2 cups

Black pepper corns crushed - 1 tea spoon (add per taste)

Green Chillies finely chopped - 1 tea spoon (add per taste)

Cilantro finely chopped - 2 table spoons

Onion finely chopped - 2 table spoons

Kalounji / Nijella seeds - 1 tea spoon

Salt - to taste

Baking soda - 1 tea spoon

Cooked rice - 2 table spoons

Hing / Asafoitida powder - 2 pinches

Oil to fry - 3 cups

Method:

Soak the Urad Dal over night. Drain all the water and grind it fine with cooked rice. Add very less water while grinding. Adding more water makes the dough to soak in more oil while frying. The consistency should be like the bread dough or a little looser. Now, add all other ingredients and mix well.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan to medium high. To make sure that the oil is ready to be fried in, add a little of the prepared dough. If the dough rises to the top, then the oil is ready. Now, wet your left palm with water or oil. Take about 2-3 tablespoons of the dough and place it on your left palm. Form a hole in the center with your right hand finger and now slide it slowly into the hot oil. Be very careful while doing this as the oil can splatter on you. The form of the vada should look like a tiny doughnut. The hole in the center is made not only so that it looks pretty, but also for even cooking.

Lower or turn the heat for oil to make sure that you do not burn the dough. It needs to be fried on even heat until cooked and friend golden. Turn the dough a couple of times to ensure even frying.

Now the crispy yummy urad dal vada is ready to be served. You can serve it with Sambar and Chutney. You can also soak the vadas in some yogurt for about 3-4 hours to make Dahi-vada.

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Welcome to my blog!! Originally from Bangalore, married to a Maharastrian, living in CA USA, my food is a combination of places I’ve lived in and beyond. Cooking is my passion. I love everything about food. Working full time and nurturing a family, I have discovered shortcuts to cooking, even Indian dishes.
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